In a surprising turn of events, an 18-year-old shooter was released on bail earlier this month despite vehement opposition from prosecutors. Chief Magistrate Judge Lloyd U. Nolan, Jr. of the D.C. Superior Court has come under fire for releasing Amonte Moody, the accused, and placing him under house arrest. This decision has been met with outrage from the public, and investigations into Nolan’s background have revealed that the magistrate is an avid progressive activist on social media.
According to Fox News and WUSA-TV, Nolan has frequently shared posts on his social media accounts promoting the Black Lives Matter movement. A review of his online presence revealed that the judge proudly identifies as “woke,” a term often used to describe someone who is socially aware and actively supports social justice causes. Furthermore, Nolan has publicly announced his financial contributions to Gideon’s Promise, a non-profit organization founded by George Soros-linked professor Jonathan Rapping. This organization provides training to public defenders, with a focus on providing quality legal representation to those who cannot afford private attorneys.
The incident in question occurred at 2:19 a.m. on April 22 near the intersection of 17th Street and Independence Avenue, SE. Security camera footage captured the accused, a black male, firing an AR-15 at a car with four people inside. Despite the fact that there seemed to be no provocation or self-defense involved, Nolan released Moody on May 3 and allowed him to remain under house arrest in Maryland with a GPS monitor. This decision has caused outrage within the legal community and the public, prompting prosecutors to file an emergency order in an attempt to overturn the magistrate’s judgment.
The emergency order is set to be heard on May 22, according to Fox News. In their filing, prosecutors expressed their concerns about the accused being back on the streets, pointing to the egregiousness of the crime and the strength of the evidence against Moody. They note that video evidence and two witness identifications clearly implicate Moody in the shooting, and that the statutory presumption in favor of detention pending trial has been ignored by the magistrate.
Nolan has not yet responded to media requests for comment, and his Facebook profile has been set to private since Fox News confronted him about his activism. It is unclear at this point how his political leanings may have influenced his decision to release the accused. However, the situation has sparked an important conversation about the potential biases and personal beliefs held by those in positions of power within the justice system.
The release of an accused shooter on bail by a D.C. magistrate judge has raised questions about the judge’s political affiliations and activism on social media. While investigations into Nolan’s background are ongoing, it is clear that this decision has caused outrage within the community and sparked important discussions about the potential impact of personal biases on the legal system.